Walt Disney's Treasury of Classic Tales

Walt Disney's Treasury of Classic Tales is an American Disney comic strip, which ran on Sundays in newspapers from July 13, 1952, until February 15, 1987.[1] It was distributed by King Features Syndicate. Each story adapted a different Disney film, such as Darby O'Gill and the Little People, Peter Pan, or Davy Crockett. It was run in relatively few papers, with 58 in 1957[2] and 55 in 1966,[3] and was principally a vehicle for promoting new and re-released Disney films.[4]

Walt Disney's Treasury of Classic Tales
Author(s)Various
Illustrator(s)Various
Current status/scheduleConcluded
Launch dateJuly 13, 1952
End dateFebruary 15, 1987
Syndicate(s)King Features Syndicate
Genre(s)Funny animals

Publication history

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From March 8 to June 18, 1950, Disney distributed a limited-time Sunday strip adaptations of their new animated feature Cinderella, written by Frank Reilly, with art by Manuel Gonzales and Dick Moores.[5] The same team followed the next year with Alice in Wonderland, which ran from September 2 to December 16, 1951.[6] Judged a success, the experiment was turned into an ongoing feature in 1952, beginning with The Story of Robin Hood.

The strip featured a wide variety of Disney stories. The animated features adapted for the strip include Peter Pan (1953), Lady and the Tramp (1955), Sleeping Beauty (1958), The Sword in the Stone (1963) and The Jungle Book (1968). Classic Tales also featured animated shorts, including Lambert the Sheepish Lion (1956) and Ben and Me (1953), and featurettes like Peter & The Wolf (1954) and Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966).

Treasury of Classic Tales also adapted live-action films like Old Yeller (1957–58), Swiss Family Robinson (1960), Mary Poppins (1964) and The Love Bug (1969). The strip transitioned from historical dramas like The Sword and the Rose (1953) and Kidnapped (1960) to comedies like The Shaggy Dog (1959) and The Parent Trap (1961).

The 1979–80 adaptation of The Black Hole was particularly notable for featuring pencil art by comics icon Jack Kirby, with Mike Royer inking.

Some of the stories created toward the end of the strip's run in the 1980s were original stories featuring characters from different Disney animated movies, including The Return of the Rescuers (1983), Dumbo, the Substitute Stork (1984) and Cinderella: Bibbidi-Bobbodi-Who? (1984).

Most stories ran for thirteen weeks. A total of 129 stories were created between 1952 and 1987.

List of story titles

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Title Year Dates Writing Art INDUCKS
link
The Story of Robin Hood 1952 July 13 – Dec 28 Frank Reilly Jesse Marsh ToCT 1
Peter Pan 1953 Jan 4 – June 14 Manuel Gonzales
& Dick Moores
ToCT 2
The Sword and the Rose June 21 – Oct 25 Jesse Marsh ToCT 3
Ben and Me Nov 1 – Dec 27 Manuel Gonzales
& Dick Moores
ToCT 4
Rob Roy 1954 Jan 3 – May 30 Jesse Marsh ToCT 5
Peter & The Wolf June 6 – July 25 Manuel Gonzales
& Dick Moores
ToCT 6
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Aug 1 – Dec 26 Jesse Marsh ToCT 7
Lady and the Tramp 1955 Jan 2 – July 10 Manuel Gonzales
& Dick Moores
ToCT 8
The Legends of Davy Crockett 1956 July 7, 1955 – Jan 8 Jesse Marsh ToCT 9
The Littlest Outlaw Jan 15 – March 26 ToCT 10
The Great Locomotive Chase April 2 – July 29 ToCT 11
Lambert the Sheepish Lion Aug 5 – Sep 30 Floyd Gottfredson ToCT 12
Westward Ho, the Wagons!' 1956–1957 Oct 7 – Jan 27 Jesse Marsh ToCT 13
Gus & Jaq 1957 Feb 3 – March 31 Ken Hultgren ToCT 14
Johnny Tremain Apr 7 – June 30 Jesse Marsh ToCT 15
Perri July 7 – Nov 24 ToCT 16
Old Yeller 1957–1958 Dec 1 – Feb 23 ToCT 17
The Seven Dwarfs & The Witch Queen 1958 March 2 – Apr 27 Julius Svedsen ToCT 18
The Light in the Forest May 4 – July 27 Jesse Marsh ToCT 19
Sleeping Beauty Aug 3 – Dec 28 Julius Svedsen ToCT 20
The Shaggy Dog 1959 Jan 4 – Apr 26 Jesse Marsh ToCT 21
Darby O'Gill and the Little People May 3 – Aug 3 ToCT 22
Third Man on the Mountain Sept 6 – Dec 27 ToCT 23
Toby Tyler 1960 Jan 3 – Mar 27 ToCT 24
Kidnapped Apr 3 – June 26 ToCT 25
Pollyanna July 3 – Sep 25 ToCT 26
Swiss Family Robinson Oct 2 – Dec 25 ToCT 27
101 Dalmatians 1961 Jan 1 – Mar 26 Bill Wright & Chuck Fuson,

Manuel Gonzales & Floyd Gottfredson

ToCT 28
Nikki, Wild Dog of the North Apr 2 – June 25 Jesse Marsh ToCT 29
The Parent Trap July 2 – Sep 25 ToCT 30
Babes in Toyland Oct 1 – Dec 31 Joseph Hale ToCT 31
Moon Pilot 1962 Jan 7 – Mar 25 Jesse Marsh ToCT 32
Bon Voyage! Apr 1 – June 24 John Ushler ToCT 33
Big Red July 1 – Sep 30 Jesse Marsh ToCT 34
In Search of the Castaways Oct 7 – Dec 30 John Ushler ToCT 35
Son of Flubber 1963 Jan 6 – Mar 31 ToCT 36
Miracle of the White Stallions Apr 7 – June 30 ToCT 37
Savage Sam July 7 – Sep 29 ToCT 38
The Sword in the Stone Oct 6 – Dec 29 ToCT 39
A Tiger Walks 1964 Jan 5 – March 29 ToCT 40
The Three Lives of Thomasina Apr 6 – June 28 ToCT 41
The Moon-Spinners July 5 – Sep 27 ToCT 42
Mary Poppins Oct 4 – Dec 27 ToCT 43
Those Calloways 1965 Jan 3 – Mar 28 ToCT 44
The Monkey's Uncle Apr 4 – June 27 ToCT 45
Dumbo July 4 – Sep 26 ToCT 46
That Darn Cat! Oct 3 – Dec 26 ToCT 47
Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree 1966 Jan 2 – Mar 27 ToCT 48
Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. Apr 3 – June 26 ToCT 49
The Fighting Prince of Donegal July 3 – Sep 25 ToCT 50
Follow Me, Boys! Oct 2 – Nov 27 ToCT 51
Monkeys, Go Home! 1966–1967 Dec 4 – Jan 29 ToCT 52
The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin 1967 Feb 5 – Apr 30 ToCT 53
The Gnome-Mobile May 7 – July 30 ToCT 54
The Happiest Millionaire Aug 6 – Oct 29 ToCT 55
The Jungle Book 1967–1968 Nov 5 – Jan 28 ToCT 56
Blackbeard's Ghost 1968 Feb 4 – Apr 28 ToCT 57
Never A Dull Moment May 6 – July 28 ToCT 58
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day Aug 4 – Sep 29 ToCT 59
The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit Oct 6 – Dec 29 ToCT 60
Smith! 1969 Jan 5 – Feb 23 ToCT 61
The Love Bug Mar 2 – May 25 ToCT 62
Hang Your Hat on the Wind! June 1 – Aug 31 ToCT 63
My Dog, The Thief Sept 7 – Nov 30 ToCT 64
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes 1969–1970 Dec 7 – Feb 22 ToCT 65
King of the Grizzlies 1970 Mar 1 – May 31 ToCT 66
The Boatniks June 7 – Aug 30 ToCT 67
The Aristocats Sept 6 – Dec 27 ToCT 68
The Barefoot Executive 1971 Jan 3 – Mar 28 ToCT 69
The Million Dollar Duck Apr 4 – June 27 ToCT 70
Bedknobs and Broomsticks July 4 – Oct 31 ToCT 71
The Living Desert Nov 7 – Dec 26 ToCT 72
Napoleon and Samantha 1972 Jan 2 – Mar 26 ToCT 73
Now You See Him, Now You Don't Apr 2 – June 25 ToCT 74
The Legend of Lobo July 2 – Sep 24 ToCT 75
Snowball Express Oct 1 – Dec 31 ToCT 76
The World's Greatest Athlete 1973 Jan 7 – Mar 26 Mike Arens ToCT 77
Cinderella Apr 1 – June 24 ToCT 78
One Little Indian July 1 – Sep 30 ToCT 79
Robin Hood 1973–1974 Oct 7 – Jan 27 ToCT 80
Alice in Wonderland 1974 Feb 3 – Apr 28 ToCT 81
Herbie Rides Again May 5 – July 28 ToCT 82
The Bears and I Aug 4 – Sep 29 ToCT 83
The Island at the Top of the World 1974–1975 October 6, 1974 – January 26, 1975 ToCT 84
Escape to Witch Mountain 1975 Feb 3 – Apr 27 Carl Fallberg ToCT 85
The Apple Dumpling Gang May 4 – June 29 Frank Reilly ToCT 86
One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing July 6 – Sep 28 ToCT 87
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too Oct 5 – Nov 30 ToCT 88
No Deposit, No Return 1975–1976 December 7, 1975 – February 29, 1976 Frank Reilly & Carl Fallberg ToCT 89
Gus 1976 Mar 7 – May 30 Carl Fallberg ToCT 90
Treasure of Matecumbe June 6 – Aug 29 ToCT 91
The Shaggy D.A. Sept 5 – Nov 28 Richard Moore ToCT 92
Freaky Friday 1976–1977 Dec 5 – Feb 27 Al Stoffel ToCT 93
The Rescuers 1977 Mar 6 – May 29 Carl Fallberg ToCT 94
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo June 5 – Aug 28 Al Stoffel ToCT 95
Pete's Dragon Sept 4 – Nov 27 Carl Fallberg ToCT 96
Candleshoe 1977–1978 December 4, 1977 – Feb 26 Carl Fallberg & Al Stoffel ToCT 97
The Cat from Outer Space 1978 Mar 5 – May 28 Carl Fallberg ToCT 98
Hot Lead and Cold Feet June 4 – Aug 27 Al Stoffel ToCT 99
Pinocchio Sept 3 – Nov 26 Carl Fallberg ToCT 100
The North Avenue Irregulars 1978–1979 Dec 3 – Feb 25 ToCT 101
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again 1979 Mar 4 – May 27 Al Stoffel ToCT 102
Unidentified Flying Oddball June 3 – Aug 26 ToCT 103
The Black Hole 1979–1980 Sept 2 – Feb 24 Carl Fallberg Jack Kirby & Mike Royer ToCT 104
The Watcher in the Woods 1980 Mar 2 – May 25 Richard Moore ToCT 105
The Last Flight of Noah's Ark June 1 – Aug 24 Al Stoffel ToCT 106
The Devil and Max Devlin Aug 31 – Nov 23 ToCT 107
Condorman 1980–1981 Nov 30 – Apr 12 Greg Crosby Russ Heath ToCT 108
The Fox and the Hound 1981 Apr 19 – Aug 30 Jeannette Steiner Richard Moore ToCT 109
Night Crossing 1981–1982 Sept 6 – Jan 17 ToCT 110
Tron 1982 Jan 24 – June 6 ToCT 111
Tex 1982 June 13 – Sep 26 ToCT 112
Mickey's Christmas Carol Oct 3 – Dec 26 Carl Fallberg Richard Moore & Frank Johnson ToCT 113
Ferdinand the Bull & The Robbers 1983 Jan 2 – Mar 6 Richard Moore ToCT 114
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Mar 13 – June 26 ToCT 115
The Adventures of Mr. Toad July 3 – Sep 25 Tom Yakutis ToCT 116
The Return of the Rescuers Oct 2 – Dec 25 ToCT 117
Dumbo, the Substitute Stork 1984 Jan 1 – Mar 25 ToCT 118
Robin Hood in: Rich John, Poor John Apr 1 – June 24 ToCT 119
Cinderella: Bibbidi-Bobbodi-Who? July 1 – Sep 23 ToCT 120
Pinocchio & Jiminy Cricket: A Coat Tale Sept 30 – Dec 30 Carl Fallberg ToCT 121
Black Arrow 1985 Jan 6 – Mar 31 Tom Yakutis ToCT 122
Return to Oz Apr 7 – July 14 Carl Fallberg ToCT 123
The Black Cauldron July 21 – Oct 27 Tom Yakutis ToCT 124
The Journey of Natty Gann 1985–1986 Nov 3 – Jan 26 Don Dougherty ToCT 125
The Search For Sleeping Beauty 1986 Feb 2 – Apr 27 Carl Fallberg ToCT 126
The Great Mouse Detective May 4 – July 27 ToCT 127
Song of the South Aug 3 – Nov 16 ToCT 128
Tramp's Cat-astrophe 1986–1987 Nov 23 – Feb 15 ToCT 129

Reprintings

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In 2016, IDW Publishing and their imprint The Library of American Comics (LoAC) began to collect all the Treasury of Classic Tales stories in a definitive hardcover reprint series.[7] As of 2019, three volumes have been published, reprinting all the stories from Robin Hood (1952) through In Search of the Castaways (1962). In April 2018, it was announced that, due to the sales goal of the series not being met, the third volume may be the last one to be published.[8][9]

Notes and references

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  1. ^ Holtz, Allan (2012). American Newspaper Comics: An Encyclopedic Reference Guide. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. pp. 393–394. ISBN 9780472117567.
  2. ^ A Revolutionary Story
  3. ^ Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. Remembered
  4. ^ "The Black Hole: How Deep Is it?" by David E. Jefferson. The Collected Jack Kirby Collector v.2. p.96 Raleigh, NC: TwoMorrows Publishing, 2004. "... Disney used their Treasury of Classics Sunday comics strip as a vehicle to promote new films..."
  5. ^ Holtz, Allan (2012). American Newspaper Comics: An Encyclopedic Reference Guide. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. p. 106. ISBN 9780472117567.
  6. ^ Holtz, Allan (2012). American Newspaper Comics: An Encyclopedic Reference Guide. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. p. 49. ISBN 9780472117567.
  7. ^ https://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2016/1219/Gift-needed-for-comics-fan-Try-Walt-Disney-s-Treasury-of-Classic-Tales CS Monitor – Retrieved March 30, 2018
  8. ^ "Episode 006 with special guest Michael Barrier". loac.idwpublishing.com. Archived from the original on April 10, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  9. ^ "Episode 006 with special guest Michael Barrier Archived 2018-04-10 at the Wayback Machine." The Library of American Comics. April 6, 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2018
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